What is a permanent impairment rating and how does it affect my settlement?

A permanent impairment rating (also called a permanent partial disability rating or PPD rating) is a physician's numerical assessment of the degree of permanent physical impairment caused by your injury, typically expressed as a percentage of the "whole person" according to the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. For example, a 20% whole person impairment means the injury permanently reduces your overall functional capacity by 20%. These ratings directly affect the value of personal injury settlements: higher impairment ratings correlate with higher pain and suffering awards, greater lost earning capacity claims, and more substantial life care plan costs. In workers' compensation cases, impairment ratings directly determine benefit calculations. In personal injury cases, the impairment rating supports non-economic damage claims by providing an objective, medically based measure of how significantly your injury has permanently affected your function and quality of life. Ratings should be obtained from your treating physician at maximum medical improvement.